The most buzzed-about moment at this year's Oscars wasn't a Jimmy Kimmel bit or a presenter flub. It was Frances McDormand's acceptance speech.

With two words – "inclusion rider" – McDormand called on her colleagues to take action against the industry's lack of diversity. The question was no longer what Hollywood's top talents could do, but what they would do.

The inclusion rider is contract language that a filmmaker or star can use in negotiations to demand that a project meet a certain standard of diversity. In the days since McDormand's speech, a growing number of top-tier talents have publicly pledged to adopt inclusion riders going forward.

Referencing Jordan's own announcement, Cox DiGiovanni revealed on Twitter that Pearl Street Films – the production company founded by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck – would adopt an inclusion rider for all future projects.

4. Paul Feig

Thrilled to announce that Feigco Entertainment is officially adopting an #inclusionrider for all our film and TV productions moving forward. Thank you to @Inclusionists and Stacy L. Smith for their guidance and inspiration. We challenge other companies and studios to do the same.

Feig followed up by speaking with The Guardian about his decision. "It's not that hard to do, and it's just common sense."

“It’s the right thing to do," he added. "It’s up to artists and film-makers to set the example, then the studios have to follow."

Why these announcements matter

At the end of the day, whether filmmakers actually hire marginalized people matters more than whether or not they say they're going to do so. Still, it matters that so many high-profile stars are going on the record about this.

When power players like Michael B. Jordan and Paul Feig step up to announce they're adopting inclusion riders, it sends a message to their colleagues, to their fans, and to the rest of the world that paying lip service to diversity isn't enough. There needs to be action backing up those PR-friendly words.

Not everyone will feel comfortable adopting an inclusion rider. Not everyone has the clout to push for one. But for those who are able and willing, it's a simple, powerful tool for change – and these committed advocates are showing the rest of the industry how to wield it.

Mashable will continue to update this list as more filmmakers sign up for inclusion riders.

Mashable
is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company. Powered by its own proprietary technology, Mashable is the go-to source for tech, digital culture and entertainment content for its dedicated and influential audience around the globe.